3 unlikely NBA stars who recorded 50-point games

Scoring 50 points in an NBA game is widely viewed as a major achievement. Some of the game's greats including Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Russell Westbrook are widely associated with performances where they hit 50 points and thanks to the league's increased tempo, the likes of James Harden and Devin Booker are now reaching the tally with ease.

However, for most players, reaching 50 points remains an incredible achievement. Most 50-point games have been recorded by the league's biggest stars, although every so often a lesser player comes along with a huge game to stun the league.

With that in mind, here are three individuals who recorded some of the most unlikely 50-point performances in NBA history:

#3 Mo Williams

Mo Williams dropped 52 points on the Indiana Pacers

Mo Williams entered the NBA back in 2003 as part of the famous draft class that contained LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Williams was a late second-round pick, spending the majority of his career bouncing around teams. However, during his 13th season in the NBA, Williams enjoyed a game that even LeBron himself would have been proud of.

During the Timberwolves' mid-season match up with the Pacers, Williams shot 19 of 33 from the field, while knocking down 6 of 11 from downtown. Williams finished shooting 58 percent, and he also missed just one of his nine attempts from the charity stripe.

More impressive was the fact that Williams had just 15 points at half-time, as he poured in an incredible 21 points during the fourth quarter alone. The then 32-year-old's display also ensured that Minnesota ended their 15-game losing streak, sealing one of the most memorable individual performances in franchise history.

#2 Terrence Ross

Ross recorded 51 points against the Clippers

Back in early 2014, Terrence Ross exploded to score a career-high 51 points in the Toronto Raptor's 126-118 defeat against the Los Angeles Clippers. While Ross' incredible individual performance wasn't enough to secure a Toronto win, he did manage to match the franchise record for points in a game set by the legendary Vince Carter back in 2000.

At the time, Ross was only a second-year guard, and for the 13/14 season as a whole, the then 22-year-old averaged just 10.9 points per game. Nevertheless, Ross' career night saw him almost double his previous career high (26). Ross also knocked down 10 of his 17 three-point attempts, finishing the game shooting over 60% from the field. In the following years, Ross has only passed 30 points in a game on one occasion, and his 50-point game will go down in NBA history as one of the most unlikely ever recorded.

#1 Corey Brewer

Corey Brewer memorably dropped 51 points on the Rockets (Picture Credit - Los Angeles Times)

In April 2014, Corey Brewer recorded 51 points during Minnesota's 112-110 victory over the Houston Rockets. Known primarily for his defense, Brewer averaged 12.3 points per game over 81 contests during the 13/14 campaign, however, everything clicked for one night as Brewer enjoyed the best game of his career.

The then 28-year-old recorded 26 points in the first half, adding a further 25 in the second period, and his combined 51 points shattered his previous season high of 27. Brewer finished the game shooting 19 of 30 from the field, also knocking down 11 of his 15 free-throw attempts. Brewer's performance put him among only four players to record 50-points during the 13/14 season, and less than a year later, Brewer joined the team that he enjoyed the greatest game of his career against.